


Brotherhood

by gingayellow



Category: Star Trek: Lower Decks
Genre: F/M, Gen, Spoilers for all seven seasons of Star Trek: Voyager.
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-16 09:20:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28704312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingayellow/pseuds/gingayellow
Summary: When Captain Rudolph Ransom was declared dead, Jack mourned him. When it turned out that Captain Rudolph Ransom had killed innocent beings a few years after begin declared dead (and then died), Jack's beliefs are shaken to their core. [Spoilers for Voyager, Beckett/Ransom implied, why am I writing angst for the Wacky Fun Star Trek show]
Relationships: Beckett Mariner/Jack Ransom
Comments: 3
Kudos: 12





	Brotherhood

**Author's Note:**

> This is probably not the first "what if Rudy Ransom and Jack Ransom are related" fic out there, but I really liked the idea I had.

Title: Brotherhood  
Fandom: Star Trek: Lower Decks  
Characters/Pairing: Jack Ransom, Beckett Mariner. Ransom/Mariner implied.  
Shiro/Keith Rating: PG  
Disclaimer: Not mine, anything mentioned here by name isn't mine  
Warnings: Spoilers for all seven seasons of Star Trek: Voyager.  
Notes: This is probably not the first "what is Rudy Ransom and Jack Ransom are related" fic out there, but I really liked the idea I had.

Noah Lessing called him first. It was an encrypted message, and in retrospect probably Lessing’s way of trying honor his captain before anyone else could muddy his memory for his family. It was brief: _Captain Ransom wasn’t an angel, but he did what he thought was best for his crew. Every time._

And sure enough, twenty-four hours later, the newly minted Admiral Janeway had delivered the news herself, even with the million other things she had to do ever since the _U.S.S. Voyager_ found its way home. Because Ransom deserved to learn the good and the bad about his brother Rudy. She didn’t hide the truth—no, Ransom learned all about how his brother had violated his oath, killed innocent lifeforms, warped the people serving under him, turned a sentient EMH into an evil scientist performing experiments on Seven of Nine. However, she also told him that Ransom had learned from his mistakes, and sacrificed himself for his crew and her own, even after she had hunted him down for his crimes. Oddly enough, she ended with almost the same message Lessing had. _I cannot condone what Captain Ransom did, but I do know that in his final moments, he did what was best for his crew._

Honestly, Jack wished she had caught him.

In times like this, Jack would hit the gym and bench press his negative emotions away. But he used to hit the gym with Rudy. After Rudy was first assumed dead, it had been a way to honor his memory. But now? Finding out he had lived a little bit longer, at the expense of other beings? He never wanted to look at a barbell again.

So, he sat in Ten-Forward, sipping his synthohol.

“Hey, Ransom!” Mariner was all smirks and smugness as she mock punched Ransom’s arm, then took a seat next to him. “Didn’t see you at the gym. It was kind of a shocker.”

In happier times, he would retort back that she only went there to watch him get sweaty (unlike other crew members who took full advantage of the gym, Mariner had some weird mix of a Klingon/Andorian physical regiment that required a whole holodeck). But he had just found out that the older brother he idolized had betrayed the Federation, so he wasn’t really in the mood to banter. “Mariner. Just give it up.”

She kept smirking as she stole (and then downed) what was left of his drink. “What, give up my lovably chaotic energy?”

“No, I mean give up trying to cheer me up. I can tell when you’re being lovable chaotic and when you’re trying too hard.” He looked at her, and she wasn’t smirking anymore. “You’re trying too hard.” Because she would have known. Despite her cavalier attitude, Mariner had connections to Starfleet insiders that Ransom envied, but could never quite figure out. Of course she knew. Of course she’d try to cheer him up.

“… Yeah. Yeah, guess I am.” When the waiter appeared, Mariner ordered two brandies. “But I’m not really sure what else to do. This...” Mariner shrugged. “This is bad, even by Starfleet standards.”

“Tell me about it. Abe Lincoln floating in space? Weird, but normal by Starfleet standard.” He **really** wished that the brandies were here right now. “Betraying your oath to Starfleet? Killing helpless creatures because you want an easy way home? That… that’s not what we do.”

“You’re right. It’s not. He did something that you or I would die first before we resorted to that… but Humans aren’t as nearly evolved as we like to think we are. Of course, that doesn’t excuse your brother. Just because we have needs and want to help others, doesn’t mean we hurt other beings that just had the gall to exist.”

“Admiral Janeway said something similar.”

“Well, yeah, she’s awesome. Thanks,” she added to the waiter as he put down their drinks. “But your brother’s dead, Jack. You are still alive. And still in Starfleet. What do you plan to do?”

He honestly hadn’t known. But talking to Mariner—who was obnoxious, beautiful, and smart—suddenly it was so clear. “I’m going to be the best damn officer I can be. Maybe my brother really did think he was doing what was best for his crew. But the whole point of Starfleet is finding a better way. A way that works for everyone.” Maybe, if his brother had just found a way to talk to the lifeforms… but that was never going to happen. Jack needed to focus on what good he could do now. “Thanks, Mariner.”

“No worries!” The smirk was back. “But you’re gonna get **so much** chaotic energy tomorrow.”


End file.
